Dani nodded. “They think so.” She turned to focus on Joshua. “I’m so sorry, baby,” she signed, her hands shaking and her mouth barely moving.

I’m not. Michael pulled his plate close and picked up a square of grilled cheese. He bit into it, barely tasting the cheese. But he was hungry, and people other than the school cafeteria ladies were feeding him for the first time in . . . forever.

He was going to eat what he could, whenever he could, because who knew how long Dani would keep them?

Joshua began to cry. “What’s gonna happen to us, Michael?”

Michael put down the sandwich, his stomach churning again, but for a different reason now. Hawkeye put his head on Michael’s knee and he petted the dog a few times before answering. “I’ll figure it out. I’ve always taken care of you, haven’t I?”

Joshua nodded uncertainly. “But where will we live? Dr. Dani is temporary. You said that.”

Dani closed her eyes. Pressed her lips together. A tear trickled down her face. She looked at Coach and murmured something that Michael couldn’t catch.

Coach wiped the tear from her face. “Whatever you need,” he voiced back without signing, but Michael could read his lips well enough to understand. Joshua was no longer signing, having turned his face into Coach’s chest, crying like his heart would break.

He’s only five years old, dammit. Stella was an awful mother, but Joshua still loved her.

Dani turned her body so that Michael could see her hands, but Joshua couldn’t, even if he had been looking at them. Coach had both arms around him now, rocking him and whispering in his ear. Michael couldn’t understand what he was saying, but Joshua must have, because his skinny little arms came up to wrap around Coach’s neck. Coach held him like the child he was, meeting Michael’s eyes with such sadness that Michael almost cried himself.

But he wasn’t going to cry. He’d cried enough for Stella and John Brewer. Because they’d hurt him. But now they were both dead and he wasn’t sorry. He was scared, though. Because as big as he might have talked about taking care of Joshua, he’d heard the stories about foster care. He knew they’d be separated.

He’d run away with Joshua before he let that happen.

Michael jumped when Dani laid her hand on his arm. “Hey,” she signed without using her voice. “I’m not going to tell Joshua because he’s so young. You’re old enough to understand the system, though. You get what may and may not happen, and what I am and am not allowed to do. I’m going to do my damnedest to become a permanent foster parent for you two. I don’t want you sent somewhere else.”